Wednesday, September 30, 2015

I have several presentations over the next few months, so it
seems only fitting to write a post about public speaking. For some, talking in
front of a crowd is easy. For others, it’s at the bottom of their TO DO list. Either
way, there is bound to be a time when you’ll need to give a presentation. Here
are some tips I use to be ready and relaxed.

Be comfortable with
your topic. If you’ve been asked to speak at a conference or meeting, then
there is probably a good reason. You know your stuff. Talk about what you know
and your experiences.

Be simple with your
outline. Don’t try to squeeze 60 minutes of information into a 30 minute
presentation. Take into account your topic and the time allotted and select the
most important points to share with your audience.

Use examples. I
find that including a few examples tends to best illustrate a point. It might
also help drum up questions from the audience and get them engaged. Consider
using recent or highly publicized examples that your audience has most likely
heard of.

Practice, practice,
practice. Once you have your outline and presentation done, practice for
content, rhythm and time. Keep what works and change up or take out parts that don’t
seem to flow the way you thought they would. Putting the extra time into
practicing will boost your confidence when it comes time to present.

Be prepared for
technical difficulties. Technical glitches will happen. That is why I make
sure I have my presentation on a flash drive as well as email a version to
myself, just in case. I also make a PDF of the presentation. I don’t want to be
stuck with an incompatible version of PowerPoint. If you are really worried,
bring your own laptop just to be on the safe side.

Public speaking doesn’t have to be scary. It’s good to get
out there and share your expertise. Look for opportunities at conferences and
meetings. Once you have two or three under your belt, you’ll be a seasoned pro!

Friday, September 25, 2015

While born into a split loyalty household, my mother is a
Minnesota Vikings fan and my father is a Green Bay Packers fan, I’ve always
held a loose loyalty to the Green Bay Packers. It wasn’t until I started
college at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay that I quickly learned more
about the Green Bay Packers and the game of football.

This football season I am lucky enough to be going to two
games. My first time at Lambeau Field for a Packers game was the 2015 home opener
against the Seattle Seahawks. It was the perfect day for a football game, brisk
weather with clear blue skies! My fiancé and I parked near Lambeau Field, and
after grabbing some food at a tailgate party in the “Garage Majal” we made our
way with hundreds of other Packers’ and Seahawks’ fans to Lambeau. As we walked
the sound of laughter, grills sizzling and beer clinking filled the air. The
smell of brats, hot coals and freshly mowed grass wafted over as we past
tailgate after tailgate.Fans dressed in
their Sunday best high fived each other and finished their drinks before
heading into the stadium.

We were seated by people from southeastern Wisconsin, Green
Bay, West Virginia and Seahawks fans from San Francisco. There was some
friendly trash talk that happened before the game, but as soon as the announcer
introduced the former Packer player who would sing the national anthem, the
stadium fell quiet. Hats off, hands over hearts and somber faces were seen
around the stadium as every football fan, no matter the colors, listened and
even sang along to the national anthem.

As the game started, every fan was on the edge of their seat
to see who would score the first points of the game. As the game went on there
was standing, celebrating, waiting and listening.Occasionally when our boys needed a boost,
“Go Pack Go!” would ring throughout the stadium. As half time rolled around the
game was very close and both teams’ fans tore their eyes away from the field to
grab refreshments, stretch their legs and buy their favorite gear.

The last half of the game did not disappoint, as Seahawks
and Packers fans sat on the edges of their seats waiting for referees to make
calls and to hear if their favorite player would be returning to play another
snap.

After the last interception by the Green Bay Packers ended
the night with a victory for the Packers, fans celebrated as they walked out of
the stadium to their cars. It was a victorious first football game for this
Green Bay Packers fan, and I look forward to many more games to come.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

It’s easy for people in an organization to say “we have to
be on social media;” but it’s often hard for them to explain why or what
platform you should be using. Social
media isn’t a one size fits all solution for communication. In fact, it is like
any other PR tool, which means before you make a decision on what tools to use,
you have to have a strategic communication plan in place. Who’s your target audience? What does the
research tell you about them? Why are
you trying to reach them? What do you want them to know and do? Answer those questions (and others that are
part of your plan) and then take a look at what tools can help you get to your
goal.

Social media will most likely be in the mix, but make sure
you understand why you’re using a particular platform, what you need to do to
be successful and how to measure your results. You don’t have to be everywhere to have an impact but you do have to be
in the right places for your organization to succeed.